Zanu PF yobs attack Daily News journalist

HARARE - Zanu PF crackheads, whose leaders have openly boasted of having degrees in violence, yesterday launched a savage and unprovoked attack on senior Daily News writer, Mugove Tafirenyika, while he was covering President Robert Mugabe’s Harare meeting with a section of war veterans and ruling party youths.

The barbaric attack, which happened in the full glare of gathered party bigwigs and law enforcement agents, began when prominent Zanu PF member Energy Mutodi — who is a well-known sympathiser of embattled Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa — was spotted by the lowlifes taking pictures of proceedings with his mobile phone, close to the VIP tent where Mugabe and other party leaders were seated.

It was at that point that one of the yobs was sent by some women in the crowd to confront and manhandle Mutodi, in what was clearly a partisan and overzealous factional move — attracting the attention of gathered journalists in the process, who promptly started taking notes and pictures.

Just as the dust was beginning to settle down on this side show, one of the Zanu PF ruffians then demanded that the journalists, including Tafirenyika, delete their pictures of the melee.

And when the quiet Tafirenyika tried to protest politely that the order was unreasonable as the media had been sanctioned to be present at the event, and to document proceedings as was their right, all hell broke loose as the miscreants descended on him, raining deadly blows on him.

They not only attacked him, but also bizarrely accused him of being an alleged sympathiser of pro-democracy pressure group Tajamuka/Sesjikile group — which has been playing a leading role recently in calling for a stop to Zimbabwe’s deepening political and economic rot.

Alarmed journalists from both the State and private sector walked out in solidarity with Tafirenyika at that point, going on to seek the intervention of Information permanent secretary and Mugabe’s spokesperson George Charamba, who — to his credit — calmed down the situation.

But Mugabe himself — who in the early 1980s boasted that Zanu PF had degrees in violence as innocent civilians were being slaughtered by the army in parts of Matabeleland and the Midlands — was to later rub it in on the gathered journalists when it was his turn to speak yesterday.

“To journalists I say go and tell those who you are representing that ... Mugabe is still here,” the increasingly isolated and frail nonagenarian said, in cryptic remarks that suggested that the media are doing the bidding of his political foes.

Meanwhile, Mutodi wrote on his Facebook page during the rally that “the situation is so tense here that anyone accused of supporting Mnangagwa is hiding to avoid being spotted by Zanu PF Harare youths” — with the ruling party sharply divided between those rallying behind the Midlands godfather and those in the so-called Generation 40 (G40) faction which opposes the VP’s ascendancy to power after Mugabe.

The Group Editor of Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ), publishers of the Daily News, the Daily News on Sunday and the Weekend Post, Stanley Gama, said he was “saddened beyond words that journalists are now being attacked by Zanu PF supporters even in front of the president himself”.

“That this dastardly act could happen right in front of the president and senior government officials speaks volumes of how far our beloved nation has fallen down in terms of respect for human rights.

“Indeed, if the president’s supporters can behave this violently and disgracefully in his presence, what more are they capable of doing away from the glare of dignitaries and the media?” he said.

Charamba confirmed he was alerted to “crowd” problems with journalists but could not commit himself on Tafirenyika’s assault.

“What I know is that there was an attempt to bar them (journalists) from taking their positions, and they brought it to my attention and we immediately resolved that,” said Charamba.

“I sent my officers to help them vana (Ben) Mungate. I am, however, not aware that there are some who were assaulted, it was not brought to my attention. If something like that happened it would be untoward.”

Comments (18)

It is a pity because Mugabe himself is on record boasting of degrees in violence. So it is not amusing that such incidences could occur in his view

pride - 28 July 2016

We are in a war every body is exposed to thuggery sponsored by Mugabe and hence the need to have him out of power A . S , P Enough suffering has been inflicted into us and we can not stomach it anymore .But their time is running out very fast and very soon they will be on the run as all dictactors eventually .

Diibulaanyika - 28 July 2016

Yu see Dailynews.Yu were enmoying attacking ngwena everyday.Now yu have same common enermy who hates yu and ngwena.What now?.The dragon is on yu.Are yu still going to clap hands for the dragon.?

luke - 28 July 2016

@dailynews,assaults are reported to the police and not used to generate nonexistant news

truth - 28 July 2016

Is charamba police?I saw the dragon smiling when mutodi was being killed.I saw the same dragon smiling when the poor news fellow was being killed.

luke - 28 July 2016

What do you daily news want at our events why dont you cover mdct and Zimpf good that you got thrashed

ZANU PF - 28 July 2016

As I have said many times before, Mugabe will not tolerate any real or genuine opposition. His political strategy going right back to the liberation war was and still is to rule by fear. Ask the relatives of the Sithole boys who were executed in the camps? Now he has turned on Mnangagwa and some of the war vets? There is one thing President Mugabe still has not properly understood: Those who rule by fear will always themselves live in fear.

Mbewa - 28 July 2016

In 1979 president mugabe complained to UN and Brittish government on the attack on a magazine called Moto.He put it so eloquently that banning an African magazine is evil.Arresting the .moto reporter or harasing him is Smith evil ways of thwarting freedom of speech.I will not take part of any talks if motto is banned.Time flies.

Hungry children fight over a song. Mugabe has reduced his citizen to bloody thirst scavengers.

amina - 28 July 2016

War vets MDC supporters zanu , zimpf supporters all citizens here is a challenge we need to put our differences aside for the first time and deal with this cheek problem the nation is facing by staging more demos demanding Mugabe to step down . He is the sole problem in zim without him this country will prosper . We must not kill each other lets face him head on bcoz we are the majority and can not suffer bcoz of a single selfish individual .

Diibulaanyika - 28 July 2016

kkkkkkkkkkk, very sorry pal, do not come between a dragon and his wrath lest you receive blows not meant for you, kkkkkkkkkk

el chapo - 28 July 2016

Bcoz you are scared of the non existing dragon which is in your mind then you continue eating shit . Fear is for mothers and sisters the situation that we are in needs amadoda sibili not onjwathi like you ..

Diibulaanyika - 28 July 2016

Smith was a very powerful dragon which had all resources including world class jets of war which could be flown to any country that hosted his enemies and bombed them , But he was brought down and is no more . Scared of a bed ridden dragon is cowardice at its best and we should do away with such sick mentality .

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